1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a spindle motor and a disk drive apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Spindle motors arranged to rotate disks about central axes thereof are typically installed in hard disk apparatuses, optical disk apparatuses, and the like. Such a spindle motor includes a stationary portion fixed to a housing of the apparatus, and a rotating portion arranged to rotate while holding the disk(s). The spindle motor is arranged to produce a torque acting in a rotation direction centered on the central axis by magnetic flux generated between the stationary and rotating portions, whereby the rotating portion and the disk(s) held by the rotating portion are caused to rotate with respect to the stationary portion.
The stationary and rotating portions of the spindle motor are joined to each other such that the rotating portion is rotatable relative to the stationary portion through a bearing unit. The bearing unit includes a bearing member (e.g., a sleeve) included in the stationary portion, and a bearing member (e.g., a shaft) included in the rotating portion. The bearing member included in the stationary portion is, for example, inserted inside a tubular holder portion extending in an axial direction and defined in a base member of the stationary portion, and is fixed to the holder portion through an adhesive.
When such a known spindle motor is assembled, the adhesive is first applied to an inner circumferential surface of the holder portion of the base member, and the bearing unit is thereafter inserted inside the holder portion, for example. This method, however, may allow the bearing unit to scrape off the adhesive when the bearing unit is inserted inside the holder portion, resulting in a reduction in a strength with which the bearing unit and the holder portion are adhered to each other.